Denver-based Dish failed to meet a late deadline Tuesday to submit its “best and final offer” for Sprint and blamed Sprint for putting up barriers to a fresh offer. Sprint had rejected Dish’s April buyout proposal of $25.5 billion on the grounds it wasn’t an offer on which Sprint could take action.

An exit by Dish would eliminate the principal obstacle to Tokyo-based SoftBank Corp.’s deal to acquire 78 percent of Sprint for $21.6 billion. Sprint shareholders are set to vote on that proposal Tuesday.

“We will consider our options with respect to Sprint, and focus our efforts and resources on completing the Clearwire (Corp.) tender offer.”

Sprint owns a bit more than half of Clearwire’s shares. Both Sprint and Dish are bidding for the remaining shares. On Thursday, Sprint upped its bid for Clearwire and announced support from a key investment group.

Even before Sprint upped its offer, Dish’s focus on Clearwire likely wasn’t its first choice, said Berge Ayvazian, an industry consultant at HeavyReading.com.

“Its tender offer will never give it control of Clearwire,” Ayvazian said. “Dish will end up in a partnership with Sprint.”

And Dish would be the minor player in that relationship, potentially with less say than it wants in Clearwire’s future.

Sprint increased its Clearwire bid to $5 a share, up from $3.40 a share. Dish is offering $4.40 a share. Sprint also sued Dish on Monday, saying that the tender offer is illegal. Dish rejected the charge.